


Borrowed Moment

by clgfanfic



Category: War of the Worlds (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-21
Updated: 2013-02-21
Packaged: 2017-11-30 00:19:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/693183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clgfanfic/pseuds/clgfanfic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A missing scene from the episode "Walls of Jericho."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Borrowed Moment

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published in the zine Green Floating Weirdness #10 under the pen name Laura Grigsby.

_"I want to be sure we have a job tomorrow."_

 

Harrison Blackwood stepped back from the edge of the roof.  General Wilson looked suitably rattled, standing next to the shattered remains of the alien.  After what the officer had just seen at the Jericho Refrigeration Plant, the astrophysicist was not surprised.  Wilson would not dismiss the aliens so easily in the future.

          There was a smug buzz rumbling in Blackwood's gut.  He had warned them that six weeks wasn't long enough to be sure the creatures were dead, but no one had listened.  Maybe now they would.

          He turned and nearly ran into the colonel, forcing him to back off several stumbling steps.  Harrison took his own step back, gaze sweeping over the soldier.  Ironhorse was slightly pale, sweat shining in the dim light.  He was sure the soldier was trembling, too.

          Stepping closer, Blackwood noticed the bruises starting to break out on the man's face.  Bruises where the alien's fingertips had pressed into his flesh... Harrison shivered.  It had been a lot closer than he'd realized.  They had no idea how fast one of the creatures could take over a human host… if it had managed to crawl into Ironhorse…

          He swallowed hard.  "Colonel?"

          Ironhorse looked down at his hands, then up at the astrophysicist.  "That… thing, didn't even feel it when I hit him."

          Harrison shook his head.

          "That would have crippled a human being.  I couldn't break free… he was too strong…"  The black eyes locked on Harrison's for a brief moment, then shot away.

          "Are you okay?"

          Ironhorse nodded.  "Fine.  Just…"

          "What?" Harrison asked, stepping closer.

          The colonel reached up and ran a hand over the developing bruises.  "Just a headache."

          "We better have Suzanne take a look at that," Harrison said, reaching Ironhorse's side.

          The colonel nodded, turning toward the open door, then swayed.  Blackwood stepped forward, reaching out a hand to steady the soldier.  "Maybe you should sit down."

          Ironhorse shot him a glare.  "I'll be fine, Doctor."

          "I know that," Harrison replied softly.  "But that was enough to rattle anyone."

Ironhorse stopped, leaning back against the wall just inside the door, his eyes closed.

          "Dizzy?"

          Ironhorse nodded, admitting, "A little.  I can still feel…"

          The colonel shook his head, but Blackwood knew what he was thinking.  He could still feel the three-fingered hand covering his face, still feel the alien pressing its way into his flesh.

          Harrison looked away, feeling sick.  It had been too damned close.

          Ironhorse's black eyes blinked open.  "Are you okay, Doctor?"

          Blackwood looked back.  "Yeah, just thinking that it was too damned close."

          There was a heartfelt nod.  "We've got to learn more about these things, and fast.  We keep coming up against them without knowing what they are, what they can do, we're going to be in trouble."

          "I agree, Colonel.  But then I've been saying all along that we have to keep going."

          Ironhorse held out his hand, and Blackwood took it.  "Thank you, Doctor."

          "For what?"

          A lopsided smile lifted Ironhorse's bruised features.  "For saving my life."

          Blackwood grinned.  "You're welcome.  Now, let's go talk to the General.  I want to make sure we have a job tomorrow."

          Ironhorse clapped Blackwood on the back.  "I don't think you have to worry, Doctor.  But I wish I was wrong."

          Harrison paused.  "Me too," he said softly.  "Me, too."


End file.
